The Darkest hour of the Russian Empire
Chapter Four: 1917
Part XXV: The twilight of Germany
Kak nyne
Sbiraetsya
Veschiy Oleg
Otmstit nerazumnym khazaram
Ih sela
I nivy
Za buinyi nabeg
Obrek on mechom i pozharom
Remember how
Was preparing
Oleg the Wise
To revenge the Khazars
Their villages
And fields
For their raids
Were under fire and sword
On 30 of April Russian troops entered Breslau. Silesia was in Russian hands!
Soldiers of Moscow Military District in Breslau
General Rediger, who won the battle of Breslau
Waldenburg, German last strong point in Western Poland, was going to fall too, 31 divisions of general Berkhman knew what to do with the Germans.
Central Powers lose the battle of Waldenburg
Losing of Breslau caused panic in Germany - Kaiser was becoming more and more unpopular amongst his citizens. By the way, Austrian cunning counter-attack, that gave them Przemysl, failed, and they left the town after only a week of control. These moves of Austrian army were well-prepared, but hopeless - Russian army in Galizia was simply bigger than their.
Breslau is lost, Przemysl too
When Waldenburg was captured, Russian army gained an opportunity to save Romania. Austrians had extremely powerful army in Northern Romania - 40 divisions. Actually, it was all their military might. And the Russians had a difficult task to:
a) Save 2 Romanian divisions from death in Bacau pocket
b) Defeat outnumbering Austrian forces
c) Secure and liberate Romanian territory
With only 12 divisions (they were taken from Przemysl, and the Austrians managed to capture it, but for only a week) it wasn't easy to do. Romanian front didn't have HQ, and that worsened the situation.
Romanian front: 7th, 9th and 21st Army Corps attack Suceava
"Russian Cossacks in Romania" by V. Belovsky, 1917
On the other front, in Prussia, everything was ready for the offensive. 42 divisions - a fantastic mass of soldiers, guns, armored cars and airplanes - were ready to strike. Brusilov decided to start the operation immediately when all corps got equipment and ammunition. On 5 of May it began...The main offensive's point was to take Frankfurt-on-Oder and besiege Berlin, but Brusilov also ordered to take Meseritz to prevent the Russian army from encirclement. The plan was good and now it was the right moment to try it...
"Operation Eagle", Russian offensive in May of 1917
Russian 1917 poster about "the last step to Berlin"
Two days later the French captured Bielefield, one more German city. Kaiser lost initiative, his armies were falling back day by day...
Frontlines in May of 1917 - Germany is close to full-scale collapse, Austria keeps fighting, Romania improved the situation a bit with Russian support
Russian assaults were tragically successful, Central Powers were shocked and didn't know where to defend - their frontlines were torn everywhere from the gates of Berlin to Northern Romania. Defeats were nearly inevitable at Frankfurt-on-Oder, Krakow, Meseritz, Nowy Sasz, Suveava and Waldenburg.
Russian current battles
Five days later general Atabekov, commander of 10th Army Corps got a message from the intelligence, that Carpathian mountains weren't defended - all Austrian soldiers were redeployed to Romania. He tried to use that chance.
Chust was stormed brutally 4 times - and now it's without any garrison!
Another action against Austria-Hungary was at Krakow - this ancient Polish city was defended by only one Turkish division, led by Mustafa Kemal-pasha.
Markov's 11th Corps in the battle of Krakow
Russian artillery near Krakow
In Romanian front general Savvich defeated Austro-Hungarian army near Iasi. Austrian pocket had a chance to become a Russian pocket!
May, 17. Interesting situation in Romania
On the same day Waldenburg was taken by general Berkhman. Southern Poland was under Russian occupation, German losses were terrible.
Victorious operation in Southern Poland
In the West the allies made a decisive step - Essen and Stuttgart were captured, German army was in agony, it ran out of supplies, soldiers started rebelling against their commanders. German Grosses Generalstab finally understood that they would never be able to make one more wonder like "Operation Heinrich" in 1916, when they pushed their enemies from German borders and Austrian territory. General tried to force Kaiser to sign a peace treaty, but the German Emperor didn't listen - he decided to fight till the last soldier...
Panic retreat in Western Germany
Italians also used the situation in a right way - with so many Austrian troops fighting in Romania Italian front was defended by militia and Ottoman expeditionary forces. The Italians and French retook Udino from their enemies.
The control is regained
On 20 of May the battle of Meseritz was won - Guard Corps of general von Val triumphantly entered the surrendered city.
The occupation of Meseritz
The battle for Frankfurt was close to end, too. The Germans had 19 divisions to fight, but the Russian army had 42. The victory was very, very close!
They will be defeated soon!
The war continues
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Next update: December, 3